Individual Guinness Sticky Toffee Puddings with Ginger Cream

Author Notes:In the middle of winter, nothing is more soothing than warm sticky toffee pudding. This version of the dessert is incredibly rich due to the excessive amounts of caramel and should only be consumed in instances of intense sugar cravings. The recipe was originally conceived for a beer cooking competition. At the time, I used my brother's homemade oatmeal stout, but Guinness also works beautifully.

Note that cooking times may vary, but the cake should be very moist. Guinness and crème de cassis can be added to the caramel for a kick, but I prefer the recipe without. Whiskey or bourbon are nice alternatives as well. —alyssalees

Food52 Review: WHO: Alyssalees lives in Brooklyn, NY where she is a homemade dessert aficionado.
WHAT: A sweet new way to enjoy stouts.
HOW: Make the base of a traditional English sticky toffee pudding, but add espresso and Guinness. Bake it in small ramekins, then pour a boozy caramel sauce over top. Gild the lily by serving it with more warm caramel sauce and ginger whipped cream. Take a bite and enter the gates of dessert heaven.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This is the type of dessert we want to serve as the ending to a long, satisfying dinner. It's incredibly rich, so you may only be able to have a few bites, but it will make you want to sit back, relax, and bask in a post-dinner glow in the company of your friends. —The Editors

Place the chopped dates in a small bowl, set aside. In a small pot, bring Guinness to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. Pour the Guinness over the dates. Let sit for 30 minutes, until cool.

In a stand mixer, cream butter on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy, an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour to the butter mixture, then mix in one third of the beaten eggs. Alternate until all of the flour mixture and eggs have been added.

Add espresso, vanilla, and baking soda to the date/Guinness mixture, then add the mixture to the batter and mix until combined.

Pour batter halfway into ramekins. Place ramekins into a large baking dish with high sides. Fill the dish with boiling water halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Cook for 15 minutes, but know that cooking times vary and it may take up to 20 minutes or more. The top should be firm, but the interior should be very moist. A knife inserted into the center of a pudding should come out with moist crumbs.

Remove ramekins and use a fork or toothpick to poke the tops with several small holes. Spread heaping spoonfuls of the caramel sauce (see recipe below) over the top of the puddings. You may have to push it into the pudding so that it seeps into the holes. Let the puddings cool slightly.

When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and invert the pudding onto a plate. Pour additional warmed caramel (see recipe below) over the top. Serve with a dab of ginger cream (see recipe below).

For the caramel and ginger cream:

Mix together the cream, sugar, and butter in a sauce pan. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over low heat until reduced and thickened into a rich, viscous sauce, stirring occasionally.

If adding the optional alcohol to the caramel, stir in Guinness and crème de cassis. Feel free to adjust quantities to taste. Cook for a minute more, then remove the sauce from the heat and set aside. Reheat the sauce before serving in the pan.

To make the ginger cream, heat the cream and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in fridge until you are ready to use.

When ready to serve, remove ginger from cream. Beat cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar to taste and beat for a minute more.